Monthly Archives: January 2012

If you were not able to attend the inspiring Students for Life National Conference last weekend – you can watch the replay here.

The theme of our sold out conference was “Envision a World Without Abortion.” It is ESSENTIAL to be able to envision a world where abortion does not legally exist in order to abolish abortion. We must be able to picture what this world without legalized abortion would look like – that way we can put the appropriate support structures in our communities and campuses. Then women will never have to choose between abortion and continuing their education when faced with an unplanned pregnancy.

Here is a little snippet of what Kristan Hawkins, the Executive Director of SFL, has to say of envisioning a world without abortion

“So how do you envision a world without abortion? Think about a society in which all life is treated as a precious gift. Where women and families in crisis can turn to community- and government-supported pregnancy-help centers and their church family for support. Where our political leaders respect life, and political parties try to prove who is more pro-life. Where adoption is tagged as a positive and brave option, and birth mothers are celebrated. Where Hollywood and the music industry promote life. Where no woman ever feels forced to choose abortion for the sake of her education, career, or family.”

What a BEAUTIFUL image! We can begin to make this a reality by putting resources for pregnant and parenting women on campus – through the Pregnant on Campus Initiative!

If you haven’t been able to afford to bring a Feminists for Life speaker to your campus, we may have the answer! When multiple schools are combined into a speaking “tour” we are able to cut costs to the individual schools. If you are in an area of the country, for instance California, where you can connect with other pro-life groups, we can build another tour there–or anywhere

For example, in mid-March 2012, FFL’s Sally Winn will be in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. If your school is in one of those states, you can host Sally at a significantly reduced cost. FFL’s President Serrin M. Foster will be traveling by train across portions of the Midwest this spring. If you are near Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Indianapolis, or another city along that Amtrak route, Serrin may be able to add an event for your campus

FFL has also found individual donors who are very interested in helping make an FFL event a reality for your campus by offering partial or full assistance with the honorarium.

If you’re fortunate enough to live near one of our speakers, costs are GREATLY reduced. Students in Maryland, Virginia, D.C., Ohio, Montana, Idaho, and Washington should contact us to find out more about how to make an FFL event happen at a fraction of the normal cost.

We know you want to create real, lasting change on your campus – and FFL has been doing just that on campuses since 1994. If you’d like for us to show you how to challenge the status quo and push for pregnant and parenting student resources on your campus, the time is NOW.

For more information on planning events or what FFL can help your group accomplish, email FFL’s College Outreach at coordinator@ffloncampus.org.

Do you want to expand your group’s pro-life outreach in your community? Do you want to help support women in crisis pregnancies on your campus? Consider joining the Pregnant on Campus Initiative to help develop resources on your campus to make it friendly to pregnant and parenting students!

The Pregnant on Campus Initiative was started as a response to the startling statistic that approximately 46% of abortions in America are performed on college-aged women. This concerning information comes from a study done by the Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood’s own research arm. It is clear, that when faced with an unintended or crisis pregnancy, many students feel forced to choose between continuing their education or raising their child. Too often, college campuses do not provide the necessary resources or environment that support pregnant and parenting students. The Pregnant on Campus Initiative aims to address this issue by helping campus pro-life groups to create effective and lasting change on their campus. We encourage and challenge pro-life groups to address this issue on their campus by engaging in service activities geared to providing necessary resources to pregnant and parenting students.

Whether the project involves creating a campus support group or creating a daycare on campus; whether it involves establishing an Assistance Fund for pregnant and parenting students or securing affordable housing on campus, these projects serve a great purpose that will serve students for years to come.

The fact is, there is a severe lack of resources on campus for pregnant and parenting students to utilize. These students deserve a more supportive and life-affirming environment on their campus where services and resources are well advertised and readily available.

Students for Life of America is prepared to help student groups establish essential resources and bring effective change to campuses across America through strategic planning meetings, resources, advice, trainings, fund raising help and more.

As many of you know, we lost our dear friend Jon, who spearheaded the Pregnant on Campus Coordinator, in October, due to sustained injuries from a car crash while he was coming home from a regional SFL event. I am blessed to be able to continue Jon’s work regarding this much-needed Initiative, which is truly the first of its kind. It is an honor to continue the work he was so passionate about – making college campuses friendlier to pregnant and parenting students. It’s a wonderful way to honor the life of such a great man.

Jon spoke about the lack of pregnant women on campus and how this relates to the fact that many women either feel pressured to drop out of school or have an abortion because of the lack of sufficient resources provided to them on their campus. We need to sufficiently support these women on campus by providing them with resources that empower them to be a successful parenting college student.

We also need to make college campuses more supportive and loving environments for these women that find themselves in crisis pregnancies so they feel empowered to choose life. We can do this in many different ways, whether it includes installing diaper decks, organizing parenting support groups, starting scholarship funds for parenting students or creating affordable daycare options on campus.

To get involved in this life-saving initiative, please contact me at aweaver@studentsforlife.org or by phone at 281-705-9926. To find out more information of what your campus pro-life group can do and how to get involved in the Initiative, go to the Things You Can Do page.

Are you interested in creating a real and lasting change on your campus? Is your group participating in the Pregnant on Campus (PoC) Initiative? Do you need help raising the money to make your project a reality?

The mission of the Pregnant on Campus Initiative is to create a real impact on college campuses by creating pregnant and parenting resources to those students who need them. When we create a loving and supportive environment on campuses we provide a real choice when these women find themselves in crisis pregnancy situations. The PoC Initiative offers many projects that your group can choose to participate in to help these women including: Diaper Decks, Pregnant and Parenting Assistance Fund, Lactation Rooms, Daycare or Housing for Pregnant and Parenting Students.

In order to achieve this vision on campus, especially with the larger projects, your group will most likely be in need of financial resources. Since finances are usually an obstacle for student groups – Students for Life (SFLA) wants to help ensure your group raises the money you need by offering resources that will help you obtain your budget for your project.

The first step is for your group is to create a budget for your proposed project. Once that is completed SFLA’s Development Director, Maria Ciarrocchi can assist you in figuring out the best way to raise the funds. She has the knowledge and experience to help take the fear out of fundraising and help your group attain its goals in the way that works best for the resources you have available. SLFA is also offering an opportunity for full or partial matching grants on a case by case basis for your project. Once your budget and goals have been created our resources are here to help you attain your fundraising goal.